Shade-holding device.



PATHNTHD APH c. L. HOPKINS.

SHADE HOLDING DHVIGH..

APPLIOATIQN FILED APB.28,103. v

WITNESSES.,

rus Nanms PETERS cm. wAsnmamn, D. r:4

TINTTED STATES PATENT FFTC.

CHARLES L. HOPKINS, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO THE CURTAIN SUPPLY COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHADE-HOLDING DEVICE- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed April 28,1903. Serial No. 154,688.

T0 all 'wh/0m, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. HOPKINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shade-Holding De` vices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in holding devices for spring-actuated shades of that class wherein a spring-extended stick secured to the shade at or near its lower margin carries at its ends friction devices moving in grooves at the sides of the window.

More particularly, this invention relates to that class of holding devices wherein wheels or rollers journaled at the ends of the stick serve normally as friction devices to hold the curtain or shade against the tendency of the spring shade-roller to wind it up, but are adapted to rotate freely and act as antifric tion devices under certain conditions.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a shade-holding device which in adjusrment may be grasped indifferently by either end or at a point midway between its ends without danger of the device being thrown out of the grooves in the windowcasing.

In the construction of my shade-holding device I preferably employ a tubular stick having rods slidably mounted therein, said rods carrying elongated heads at their outer ends and having springs within the stick for thrusting the rods outwardly. In the heads I journal rollers or wheels, preferably two in number, one at each end of the head. I further provide means whereby these wheels may rotate in one direction to act as antifriction devices, but are prevented from rotating or are retarded in their rotation in the opposite direction, whereby they may act as friction devices. The advantage of this arrangement is that although the device has holding power to resist the upward pull of the spring shade-roller it moves downwardly along the grooves practically without friction, and the shade may be drawn down by grasping the stick at the end without danger of the device being thrown from the grooves.

While I prefer to provide means for withdrawing the rods and heads against the tendency of their springs to force them outwardly, this is not essential, as the shade may be raised by simply placing the hand beneath the stick and pushing it upwardly along the grooves, the rollers simply sliding along the grooves. The provision of such means for withdrawing the rods and heads has, however, the advantage of preventing excessive wear on the bottoms of the grooves.

The means which I prefer to employ for retracting the rods consists of a combination of parts wherein a stationary pinch-handle is secured to the tube and a movable pinchhandle is arranged to project through a slot in the tube, the inner end of the movable handle being formed so as to be sleeved over one of the slidable rods in a manner to be hereafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a broken view, partly in section, of the device. Fig. 2 is a broken elevation of a portion of the tube, showing the slot through which the movable pendant projects, and the inner end of one of the slidable rods. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the escutcheon-plate, having the fixed pendant secured thereto. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the inner end of the slidable rod with the movable pendant sleeved thereon. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of Fig. 3 on the line y y. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of Fig. 4 on the line z e. Fig. 7 is a crosssection of the device at a point crossed by the line a: :t on Fig. l. Fig. S shows the method of inserting the movable pendant into the tube.

In the drawings, l0 is the usual tube, forming the stick and carrying the other parts. Within the tube are the slidable rods l1 and lla, each rod having at its outer end a head 12 and 12a, respectively. The rod 1l is somewhat more than one-half as long as the tube and has on its inner end a sleeve 13, into which the end of the rod screws. This sleeve 13 is permitted to slide within the tube, but is prevented from rotating by the pin 14. The slidable rod 1l.a may be of any length less than one-half the length of the tube 10 and is provided with a similar sleeve 13a and pin 14a. Surrounding the rods 11 and l1a are springs 15 and 15a, respectively, tending to force the rods 11 and 11a outwardly. In the side of the tube 10 is cut an IOO opening, this opening being rhomboidal in shape, having its longer sides parallel to the sides of the tube and its shorter sides at an angle of preferably about forty-five degrees with the sides of the tube. Sleeved on the rod 11 and projecting through the opening 16 is the movable pendant 17. An escutcheonplate 18 is adapted to be secured to the tube 10 over the opening 16 in the tube and to have the pendant 17 project through its aperture 20. This aperture is of the form of the opening 16 in the tube 10 and registers therewith. The action of this part of the device may be explained as follows: The device is adjusted for varying lengths by turning the heads 12 and 12, screwing the rods 11 and 11":L into or out of the sleeves 13 and 13a. The outward thrust of the spring 15a upon the rod 11a and its head 12ZL is limited by the sleeve 13a coming into contact with the s ring 15a at its inner end. The outward t ust of the spring 15 upon the rod 11 and its head 12 is limited by the sleeve 13, abutting the pendant 17, which is in turn prevented from being moved outwardly by reason of its projecting through the opening 16 in the tube 10 and the similar opening 2O in the escutcheon-plate 1S. These rods 11 and 11a and their heads 12 and 12a may, however, be moved inwardly when the springs 15 and 15a are greatly compressed-as, for instance, when the device is tilted to remove it from the grooves in the window-casing.

When it is desired to release the device and shade by means of the pinch-handles 17 and 19, these handles are grasped by the thumb and finger and pressed together. The movable pendant, by reason of the form of the opening 16 in the tube 1() and the similar o ening 20 in the escutcheon-plate 18, through which the endant projects, will have imparted to it a ongtudinal as well as a rotary movement, and the rod 11 and its head 12 will be drawn inwardly, thus shortening the device. It is not necessary that both rods be drawn in, because the rod 11ab at the other end of the device is limited in its movement outwardly, as already described.

The heads 12'and 12a are alike. At each end of the head is journaled a roller or wheel 21 and 22. A wedge-shaped part 23, which may be of metal, wood, leather, or other suitable material, is adapted to be thrust between the wheel 21 and the back'wall of the head 12 by the spring 24. This part 23 is held in place by a pin 25, so as to permit it a sliding motion up and down, but no other movement. Itis evident that when the wheel 21 is rotated in one direction the wedge-shaped part 23 will be forced up between the wheel and the back wall of the head 12 and will act as a brake to retard or prevent the rotation of the wheel. If the wheel be rotated in the opposite direction, there will be a tendency on the part of the wheel to throw the wedge out, and the rotation of the wheel is not in any way retarded. The spring 24 has but little power and is intended merely to hold the wedge shaped part 23 in contact with the wheel 21. A part 26, pivoted on the pin 27, is adapted to be held in contact with the wheel 22 by the spring 24. When the wheel 22 is rotated in one direction, the part 26 is forced into closer contact with the wheel 22 and the wheel is retarded or prevented from rotating; but when the wheel is rotated in the opposite direction the rotation of said wheel tends to throw the part 26 away from the wheel, the small spring 24 holding the part 26 against the wheel, but not with sufficient force to prevent the wheel from rotating practically free. It will be observed that by this arrangement of parts the wheels 21 and 22 have practically free rotation in one direction, but are braked when rotating in the opposite direction.

If a shade fitted with this device be grasped either at one end of the device or at a point between its ends and be drawn down the shade will descend evenly and without perceptible friction on the part of the wheels in the grooves at the sides of the window, but if the device be pushed up the wheels will be braked and will be retarded in their rotation, so that the device will resist a force acting upwardly, or they may slide along the grooves. It is well understood that in devices of this class the principal diiiiculty is to provide means whereby the device may descend level. In ascending the tendency of the spring shade-roller is to draw the device up evenly, especially in the case of a device having elongated heads with widely-separated contact-points, as in the present invention.

It is found that by making the movable pinch-handle 17 of sheel metal bent into the form shown it may be inserted into the tube 10 through the opening 16, as shown in Fig. 8, and will be retained in place when the rod 11 is passed through it.

I claim- 1. In a shade-holding device, the combination of a stick, an elongated head at the end of the stick, wheels mounted singly in said head toward the ends thereof, and a bodilymovable brake in contact with one of the wheels having holding power to resist rotation of said wheel in one direction only.

2. In a shade-holding device, the combination of a shade-stick, a s ring-pressed elongated head at the end o the shade-stick, a plurality of wheels carried by the head, a

f bodily-movable brake carried by the head, the

said brake being adapted to resist rotation of one of the wheels in one direction, but and being without braking power to resist rotation of said wheel in the opposite direction.

3. In a shade-holding device, the combination with a stick, of a head at the end of the stick, a spring within the stick for thrusting lOO IIO

said head outwardly, a wheel journaled in said head, a bodily-movable part in contact with said wheel, the said movable part normally acting as a brake upon said wheel, but being without holding power to resist rotation of said wheel when the shade is being drawn downwardly.

4. In a shade-holding device, in combination with a stick, of a head at the-end of the stick, an antifriction-roller journaled in said head having a bodily-movable spring-actuated brake in. contact therewith at all times and adapted to prevent rotation of the antifriction member in one direction only, and a spring carried by the stick thrusting said head and wheel outwardly.

5. In a shade-holding device, in combination with a stick, a head at the end of the stick, a wheel j ournaled in said head, and a wedge-shaped part adapted to be thrust between the headand the wheel to prevent rotation of said wheel, substantially as described.

6. In a shade-holding device, in combination with an elongated spring-pressed stick, a head at the end of the stick having antifriction devices journaled therein, a springactuated member pivoted in said head adj acent to one of said antifriction devices, and a bodily-movable brake arranged to engage the other antiriction device.

7. In a shade-holding device, the combination of a stick, an elongated, spring-pressed head at the end of the stick, a wheel journaled in said head, a sliding member carried by the head adjacent to the wheel, contacting with said wheel and acting as a brake, said sliding member having braking power to resist rotation of the wheel in one direction but permitting rotation of the wheel in the opposite direction, and means 'for moving said wheel out of contact with the windowcasing for the purpose of moving the shade to a desired position.

S. In a shade-holding device, the combination of a stick, a head at the end of the stick, an antifriction device journaled in said head, a bodily-movable brake in contact with said antih'iction device and having holding power to resist movement of the same in one direction only, a spring carried by the stick for forcing the head outwardly, and a spring mounted on said head for pressing the brake against the antifriction device.

9. In a shade-holding device, the combination of a stick, a spring-actuated rod within the stick, a pendant on the rod for retracting the same, an elongated head at the outer end of the rod, and a wheel journaled in said head, having a bodily-movable brake in contact therewith at'all times.

10. In a shade-holding device, the combination with a stick, of a head at the end of the stick having a wheel at each end thereof, movable parts adapted to be thrust into contact with the wheels to act as brakes upon said wheels, and a spring located between said movable parts to force them in opposite directions and against their respective wheels.

11. In a shade-holding device, the combination with a stick, of a slidable rod within the stick, a spring for thrusting said rod outwardly, a pendant on the rod having rotary movement independentlyT of the rod, and means for imparting a longitudinal movement to the pendant when the said pendant is rotated and a second pendant immovably secured to the stick.

12. In a shade-holding device, the combination with a stick, of a spring-actuated rod slidably mounted therein, an opening in the stick between its ends, said opening being rhomboidal in shape, and a pendant on the rod projecting outwardly through the opening, Jfor the purpose described.

13. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, guideways adjacent said curtain, shoes mounted on said curtain to coperate with said guideways, a movable guiding member mounted on said shoes to engage said guideways, and bodily-movable means cooperating with said guiding member to automatically vary the freedom of movement of said guiding member along said guideways as it moves in diiierent directions.

14. In a curtain-fixture, a shoe to coper-Y connected with said rod, and means for rei tracting the rod comprising a projecting handle passing through an opening in the stick, and an inclined wall with which the handle coperates, substantially as described.

16. In curtain-iixtures, a shoe having guiding members to engage a guideway, said guiding members comprising a guide-roll mounted in said shoe and a sliding springpressed grip in said shoe relatively movable toward said guide-roll to exert an automatic wedging action on said guide-roll to allow said guide-roll to move more freely along said guideway in one direction than in the other direction.

17. In curtain-lixtures, a shoe having guiding members to engage a guideway, said guiding members comprising a rotary guiding member mounted in said shoe and a bodilymovable grip mounted in said shoe movable toward said guiding member, said grip hav- ICO ISO

ing an automatic wedging action on said guiding member to allow said. guiding member to move more freely along said guideway in one direction than in the other direction.

18. In curtain-fixtures, a shoe, a rotating guiding member mounted in said shoe to engage a guideway, a bodily-movable grip mounted in said shoe out of contact with said guideway to engage said guiding member, said grip having an automatic action on said guiding member to restrain its rotation in one direction more than in the other direction.

19. In a curtain-fixture, the combination of a stick, a head at the end of the stick, a wheel mounted in the head., and means adapted to become wedged between the wheel and the inside of the head when the Wheel is turned in one direction to retard rotation of the wheel, but to be moved out of retarding engagement with the head when the wheel is turned in the other direction.

20. In a shade-holding device, the combination of a stick, an elongated spring-pressed head at the end of the stick, a wheel journaled in said head, a sliding member carried by the head adjacent the wheel and contacting 'with said. wheel and acting as a brake to resist rotation of the wheel in one direction but permitting rotation in the opposite direction.

21. In a shade-holding device, the combination with a stick, of a head at the end of the stick having separated antifriction devices therein, movable parts adapted to be thrust into contact with said antifriction devices to act as brakes therefor, and a spring located between said movable parts to force them in opposite directions and against the respective antifriction devices.

22. In a curtain-fixture, a shade-stick guideways adjacent the ends of the stick, shoes at the ends of said stick to cooperate with said guideways, a movable guiding member mounted in said shoes to engage said guideways, and a sliding brake coperating with said guide member to automatically vary the freedom of movement of the same along the guideways as it moves in different directions.

guideway as it moves in different directions,

and retaining means on the shoe for said brake.

24. In a curtain-xture, apair of shoes comprising guiding members arranged to engage a guideway and to be rotated thereby, and means coacting with said guiding members to automatically vary the freedom of movement of said guiding members, to allow said guiding members to move more freely along said guideway in one direction than in the other direction, said means including abodily-movable brake engaging one of said guiding members, and an elongated block having an inclined end normally in engagement with other guiding member, the block being pivoted adjacent its opposite end, and spring means for said block.

25. In a curtain-fixture, a pair of guiding members arranged to engage a guideway and to be rotated thereby, and means coacting with said guiding members to automatically vary the freedom of movement thereof, to allow said guiding members to move more freely along said guideway in one direction than in the other direction, said means comprising a bodily-movable brake engaging one of said connecting members and an elongated block one end of which having an inclined surface arranged to engage the other guiding member, a pivotal support for the opposite end of the block adjacent one of its edges, and a spring engaging said opposite end of the block adjacent its opposite edge.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES L. HOPKINS.

I/Vitnesses:

J. F. STEWARD, E. G. HOPKINS. 

